Located to your right just passed the main entrance to Kathmandu Durbar square. Basantapur tower was one of tallest towers in the square and one of the more ornate. Basantapur tower was built by King Prithvi Naraya in the mid 18th century.

Do try to get a closer look at the towers carvings from this side. There's more to the towers exterior though. It's on of the few, and most impressive, old buildings you can climb up through and look out over Kathmandu.

Did you know?

Basantapur tower means "palace of the spring". Only the Taleju temple is taller.

it's said you can see the mountrains from the top of Basantapur tower however this is now very rare due to excessive polution in Kathmandu.

The entrance to Basantapur tower (nine-story palace) is inside the main royal palaces interior Lohan chowk - entery was via Hanuman Dhoka.

As nice as Basantapur Tower was from the outside the nine-story place was much more impressive from the inside. Enter from Lohan Chowk and ascend the narrow stairwells all the way up through the towers floors.

Each floor has little windows you can peak out into both the chowk below, durbar square, across the Kathmandu valley and towards the new city.

About half way up you'll come across a lovely window and a chair looking out over durbar square where royalty once sat to observe. Meanwhile at the very last floor the views are at their best.